A Milford Haven woman who stole a pensioner’s purse to fund a drug habit has been jailed.

Marion Picton, of Willow End, pleaded guilty to theft when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, October 2,

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said an 89 year-old woman took money out from a cash point on September 8, before going to a local supermarket.

She realised her purse was missing when she went to get a taxi 30 minutes later, and returned to the store.

CCTV showed Picton, 39, taking the purse from a bag in a trolley, while the victim was looking in the other direction.

Mr Prichard-Jones added that house keys were among the missing purse contents, which led to the woman spending nearly £150 to change her locks.

Picton, who has a long list of previous offences, admitted the theft when interviewed.

Mark Layton, defending, said: “This is a very unpleasant offence. It could have been made more unpleasant by requiring someone of 89 to come to court to give evidence, but from the outset she indicated that she would be pleading guilty.

“It was an opportunistic theft. Miss Picton was not aware of the age of the victim. She saw the purse and took it.

“She is genuinely sorry that she finds herself before the court.”

The court heard that Picton was currently on post-sentence supervision, and already had £5,005.28 in outstanding court fines, which she was repaying at £5 a week.

Mr Layton added that Picton had been working with the community drug team and probation service to tackle a serious heroin addiction.

“She is trying to deal with her addiction and wants to be drug free for the first time in years.

“She has a heroin addiction and was stealing to fund it.”

Magistrates sent Picton to prison for 20 weeks and ordered her to pay £237.60 compensation and a £115 surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “You knew exactly who you were stealing from and took the opportunity to steal that purse.”